12th May 2011

Finding God

“God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.”Acts 17:27 (NIV)

There is an ancient Indian fable about six blind men who were introduced to an elephant. Having never encountered an elephant before, each man touched a different part of the animal’s anatomy.
The first man stumbled against the elephant’s side and declared that the elephant felt like a wall.
The second man touched its pointed tusk and was adamant the animal was like a spear.
The third man felt the elephant’s trunk and was convinced it was like a writhing snake.
The fourth man touched its knee and thought the elephant felt like a tree.
The fifth man felt the elephant’s ear and likened it to a fan.
The sixth man caught its tail and thought the elephant felt like a rope.
The moral of the story is not to quickly jump to conclusions!

From time immemorial humans have been a bit like these blind men in their quest to know what God looks like. The ancients pictured God in terms of birds, beasts and fish; while in modern times many imagine him to look like an old man with white hair and a long beard.

The Bible tells us, however, that God is Spirit (John 4:24) and that his Spirit fills the vast universe. God not only has great love for his creation and us humans, but the Bible also informs us that God IS Love (1 John 4:8).

King David in the Psalms, using metaphor, wrote, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in him!” (Psalm 34:8 NKJV). One day, thankfully, we will “see” him as he really is (1 John 3:2).

His desire for us is that we have a close relationship with him, and he is patiently waiting for us to “taste and see that the Lord is good.”

Prayer
Thank you Father for being a good God, and for revealing yourself to us in your written word. Help us to trust you and to embrace your love and grace. In Jesus Name.
Amen